More than 1,000 Students, Faculty and Staff Vaccinated at Chapman COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics

As COVID-19 vaccination efforts continue nationwide, Chapman University is doing its part to help get shots into the arms of members of the university and local community. Chapman University’s School of Pharmacy teamed up with Ralphs Grocery Company Pharmacies to host its first on-campus COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Friday, April 16. 

The event drew dozens of socially-distanced students, faculty and staff to the Hutton Sports Center to get their first dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Over 700 students, faculty and staff were vaccinated, according to Jeff Goad, PharmD., MPH., professor and chair, Department of Pharmacy Practice at Chapman University School of Pharmacy, who was instrumental in organizing and helping coordinate the event.

The collaborative, community vaccination effort marked a significant step in moving toward a Chapman experience that is closer to the pre-pandemic days.

“We had no severe reactions, but instead a lot of students were relieved that they could start the fall with the best protection possible against COVID-19,” said Goad. “With more than 270 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine given nationwide, Chapman employees and students join the ranks of those most committed to ending the pandemic – the vaccinated!”

Following the success of the April 16 clinic, the university partnered with the Orange Blossom Auxiliaries of the Assistance League of Orange, the Orange Chamber of Commerce and Families Together of Orange County to host another clinic on Thursday, May 6. Members of the Chapman community and the broader Orange community received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine. A Chapman-coordinated clinic for the second dose will take place on Thursday, June 3. In total, over 1000 doses were administered at both clinics.

Since Chapman will require all students, faculty and staff coming to campus in the fall to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, these clinics provided an important service. This requirement is contingent on at least one of the vaccines receiving full FDA approval. Until FDA approval is granted, the vaccine will remain highly recommended for the Chapman community.